Dear Fellow Member, The US Equestrian Board of Directors met last week on Monday and Tuesday, July 24 and 25. During this meeting, it was evident that our Sport and our Federation is moving in the right direction and that our Strategic Plan, while still in its early days, is working. This is evidenced by a growing membership, teams and individuals winning on the world stage, balanced financials, and the implementation of many new initiatives. The Board meeting was productive, energizing, and...

The Plains, Va. – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team won the FEI Nations Cup™ CICO3*at the Great Meadow International, presented by Adequan, for the second consecutive year. The team of Jennie Brannigan, Lynn Symansky, Phillip Dutton, and Boyd Martin defeated teams from Canada and Great Britain in the only FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing competition outside Europe. Brannigan also captured her second individual title at Great Meadow, having won previously in 2015. Cross country course...

There are IHSA shows both for hunt seat and for Western riders, like 1988’s IHSA National Champion and Stock Seat Equitation Individual High Point Rider Meg Rothermich (Miami University of Ohio), shown with coach Ken Copenhaver. (Photo Courtesy Bob Cacchione/IHSA) The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association ’s National Championships, which take place May 4-7 at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena in Lexington, also will commemorate the IHSA’s 50 th anniversary this...

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus (Kasey @ Rare Air Photography) Lauren Kieffer’s return to the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover is particularly nostalgic, because her mount this year—Vermiculus—is a full brother to Snooze Alarm, the horse that brought Kieffer to her first Rolex Kentucky back in 2010. Bred in Indiana by Lawson and Jeanne Williams, Snooze and Vermiculus are Anglo-Arabians, by the Arabian stallion Serazim and out of the Thoroughbred mare Wake...

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover is a thriller for spectators and equestrian fans, whether they’re on site at the Kentucky Horse Park or watching the action live on USEF Network . For a different perspective, we asked several participants behind the scenes at Rolex Kentucky to describe what their experience at this eventing championship is like. Lauren Kieffer, riding Veronica, won the 2016 Rolex/USEF CCI4* National Championship after finishing second overall at...

Julie McCrady won the 2015 Third Level Freestyle Adult Amateur Championship with her Hanoverian mare Remanessa, and looks to return to Lexington again this year to try for a Fourth Level title. (Susan J. Stickle) Lexington, Ky. - “You bet I’ll be back. I’ve declared and I made my hotel reservations in Lexington months ago!” Every November since 2013, Julie McCrady and her husband have made the trek to Kentucky from Raymore, Mo. with their home-bred Hanoverian mare...

Mattias Tromp and Avon Win the $50,000 Longines Cup (Shawn McMillen) Bridgehampton, N.Y. - Mattias Tromp (USA) trumped the competition to win the $50,000 Longines Cup at the 41st annual Hampton Classic Horse Show riding Avon, owned by Beyaert Farm, Inc. Pablo Mejia Villa (COL) was second on his Reglisse Top and Catherine Tyree (USA) was third on Enjoy Louis, owned by Mary and Joseph Tyree. There is an important horse show scheduling update for Sunday. Due to weather forecasts, the horse show is...

Maggie Jayne and Frosted Blue win the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Chicago Festival of the Horse (Allyson Lagiovane/Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - The final day of World Championship Hunter Rider week at the Chicago Festival of the Horse began differently than most. David Cormalleth played tribute to the late Russel Frey with a rendition of "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes before riders in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby entered the Grand Prix arena to compete...

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Eventing competition at the Olympic Equestrian Center at Deodoro continued on Sunday with the second day of dressage. The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team moved up from seventh place and is now tied with New Zealand for sixth place on a total of 137.50. Lauren Kieffer and Phillip Dutton gave strong performances for the U.S. in a hotly contested team competition. Germany currently leads the team standings on a total of...

Piber Köflach, Austria – The U.S. Driving Team of Donna Crookston, Sterling Graburn, and Suzy Stafford, along with individual Leslie Berndl, made a valiant effort at the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, which proved to be a true championship test. The strong international field consisted of 75 combinations from 23 countries, and after four days of competition, the U.S. team finished 14th. Sterling Graburn and Mannkato (Krisztina Horváth/Hoefnet.com) Graburn (Paris,...